Mike Evans returns to Iowa City to train at HWC

After spending a year in the coaching rankings of Division I college wrestling, former Hawkeye wrestler Mike Evans has returned to his college home and will now train as a member of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.

This news comes a day after that we learned that former University of Minnesota standouts Chris and Nick Dardanes have also joined the HWC.

Evans was a four year starter under Tom Brands wrestling as a freshman at 165 pounds and then manned the 174 pound spot in the lineup his final three seasons. Evans was an anchor in the middle of the Hawkeye lineup, placing sixth at the NCAA championships three consecutive seasons, and was also a three-time Big Ten runner-up. Evans finished with 107 career victories, which included his career high 30 win senior season.

As a 174 pound college wrestler, it is conceivable that we see Evans go down and compete at 74 kg (163 lbs). The benefit to freestyle wrestling is day before weigh ins, which would aid in Evans being able to weigh in at a weight lower than he competed in college.

Prior to returning to Iowa City Evans had spent the past year out in California working as an assistant coach for Brendan Buckley at Cal Poly. Buckley then left to take on the executive director role of Beat the Streets leaving Evans open to re-evaluate his future.

Since its inception in 1973, the focus of Hawkeye Wrestling Club has always been to provide the training, coaching and resources necessary to help our athletes pursue their dreams of becoming World and Olympic Champions. The money raised through the HWC goes directly to benefit the athletes helping with living expenses, training and traveling needs. Maybe the most important aspect of the HWC is its pursuit in trying to get the best post-collegiate athletes to train with the HWC together in Iowa City to attain the ultimate prize in wrestling… World and Olympic gold medals.